Propelling mechanism



J. S. WHITAKER. PROPELHNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.30,1920.

Patented Jan. 11, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PROPELLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. .Pgtented Jan, 11, 1921.

Application filed January 30, 1920. Serial No. 356,495.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. WHITAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a certaln new and useful Improvement in Propelling Mechanism, of vwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n propelling mechanisms for boats and the like wherein a plurality of longitudinally movable paddles operate to propel a boat in either direction and to control the course thereof.

The primary object of my improvement is to provide an improved propelling means for boats and the like.

A further object is to provide improved means wherein the propelling means is active throughout at least one-half of each cycle thereby reducing ineffective portions of the propelling mechanism to a minimum and thereby increasing the efliciency of the device. I

The invention resides in the construction and arrangements disclosed in the drawings and described in the specification wherein like characters of reference are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a ferry steamer with my improved propelling mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a broken'plan view of Fig. 1 disclosing the arrangement of one unit of the propelling mechanism; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken transverse sectional view of the hull of a boat showing in detail the manner of connecting the propelling mechanism to the actuating mechanism or power units.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate the hull of a boat having the usual overhanging sides 2. Depending from the lower surface of said sides 2 and on each side of the hull or boat 1 I have provided a pair of antifriction rollers 3 between which are slidably mounted a plurality of longitudinally disposed rods 1 provided at their free ends with paddles 6 ar ranged at right angles thereto.

The opposite ends of the rods 4 are held in engaging relation .with cranks 7 of a crank shaft 8, one on each side of the boat 1 and arranged transversely thereto.

A suitable power unit 9 is operatively connected to each shaft 8 whereby said shafts 8 may be rotated independently of each other and in either direction.

The rods 4: are actuated to move the paddles 6 thereon through an elliptical path the upper and'lower portions of said path being above and below; respectively, a water line supporting the boat 1, by the rotation of the cranks 7 of the crank shafts 8. As the cranks 7 are spaced equi-distant around the crank shaft 8 it is evident that one of the paddles 6 will be always below the water line and therefore exert a pressure against said water to propel the boat according to the direction of rotation of said shaft 8 and cranks 7 thereon. A reversal of the direction of rotation of the crank shaft 8 will obviously reverse the direction of the paddles 6 while traversing the lower portion of the elliptical path hereinabove described.

By rotating the shafts 8 in opposite directions it is obvious that one set of paddles 6 will be pushing on one side of the boat 1 while the other set on the opposite side of said boat will be exerting a pulling force or effect upon said water andthereby tend to rotate said boat 1 in a'horizontal plane and by means of this novel arrangement the course of the boat 1 may be altered and controlled.

It is also obvious from the foregoing that the propelling means will be effective during at least one-half of its cycle and thereby increase the efficiency of said propelling means over the paddle wheel now in common use wherein only a small portion of the total number of paddles on said wheel is in operation.

Furthermore, my improved propelling means is adapted to retain the active propelling paddle in a substantially vertical position throughout the entire operative portion of its stroke thereby further increasing the propulsive power of said mechanism.

Havlng thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination with a boat of a pair of antifriction rollers mounted upon each side of said boat; a plurality of longitudinally disposed rods slidably mounted between and partially supported by said rollers; a paddle secured to the end of each rod and at right angles thereto; a transversely disposed crank shaft rotatably mounted upon each side of the boat and having the cranks thereof in engaging relation With the ends of the rods crank shaft independently of the other and opposite the paddles whereby rotation of in either direction Wherebv said boat may be said shaft Will impart a substantially elliptipropelled in either direction and the course 10 cal movement to the paddles, the upper and tlleleOf Controlled.

lower portions of said movement being above n Witness whereof I hereunto set my sig- 'and below a water line respectively support n ureing said heat; and means for rotating either JAMES S. WHITAKER. 

